Structural unit



1,614,247 Jan. 11, 1927. s. MACOMBEB STRUCTURAL UNIT Filed April 15,1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B F) J .4 P j 759.1 INVEA/ITOR.

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Jan. 11, 1927. 1,614,247

S. MACOMBER STRUCTURAL UNIT Filed April 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 L a7 9 7 i5 HEAVY GAUGE. ucmrsk GAUGE +HE AVY QAUGIL a\ 5b I 5 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY Patented Jan. 11, 1927,

UNITED STATES STANLEY MACOMBER, OF MASSILLON, OHIO.

STRUCTURAL UNIT.

Application filed April 18, 1925. Serial No. 22,633.

The present invention relates more particularly to the construction of atruss section or other structural unit for buildings and the like wheresuch unit is fabricated from a plurality of bar or rod-like elements ortheir equivalents.

One principal object of the invention is the provision of a structuralunit of the type in question that may be readily adapte to 1 variousspans. Another object is to provide an improved method of fastening theends of such unit to the I-beam, brick wall or other support, and bysuch fastening to complete the end connection so as to provide properlyfor the transfer of stresses. Included with the foregoing are specialfeatures of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and thefollowing description setting forth in detail certain mechanismembodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, butone of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the inventionmay be used.

In said annexed drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one end portionof a structural unit embodying the present improvements; Figs. 1 and 1are transverse sections of such unit taken on the planes indicated bythe lines a-a and b-b, Fig. 1 ;-Fig. 1 is a broken top plan view of suchunit as indicated by the line 0-0, Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is a horizontalsection thereof s as indicated by the line (Z-Z, Fig. 1; and Fig. 1 anend elevation of the same; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a structuralunit similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but with its end secured to anI-beam support; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the endof a structural unit as secured in a brick wall; Fig. 4 similarlyillustrates the manner of securing the end of such unit in a concretewall; Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a series of such units withappropriate form-parts supported therefrom where such units are to beemployed as reinforcing trusses in a reinforced concrete construction,specifically a floor; Fig. 6 is a broken vertical section of a completedfloor wherein such units have been employed as reinforcing trusses, theplane of the section lying parallel with the plane of one such truss;Fig. 7 is a perspective yiew showing one end portion of a modifiedconstruction; and Figs. 8, 9 and 10 respectively illustrate thecomponent parts of such modified construction.

Referring first of all to the form of structural unit illustrated inFigs. 1 to 1, inclusive, it will be noted that the truss there shown ismade up of five principal elements or pieces, viz, two straig t bars orrods 1 that compose the upper chord; two similar bars or rods 2 thatcompose the lower chord, both of said pairs of bars being substantiallystraight throughout their length and the lower pair being shorter thanthe upper pair; and another rod or bar 3 that constitutes the web memberof the structure being bent reversely to form a succession of 0 positelydirected Vs, the angles 3 of whic lie between the upper pair of bars 1and the lower pair of bars 2.

The several bars just referred to are electrically welded or otherwisepermanently and rigidly secured together at the points where the angles3 of the web member 3 thus lie between paired bars 1 and paired bars 2.However, because of the simplicity of the operation, it is preferred tomash-- weld together the bars at the points in question, the middle barbeing placed in position between the top and bottom bars, as shown inthe sectional views, Figs. 1 and 1", and the several welds being eithersuccessively or simultaneously produced.

Each end portion 3 of the rod 3 that constitutes the web member is bentupwardly at a variable or adjustable angle, as will be presentlyexplained, while a supplemental rod or equivalent member 4 is welded orotherwise permanently secured at its oneend to the adjacent end of thebottom chord, i. e. at the point where said web member portion 3 bendsupwardly, the other extremity of such member being firmly secured in themanner previously indicated between the paired top chord members 1. Theend portion 3 of web member 3 is received between the ends of the topchord members 1 100 beyond the point where said member 4 is attached tothe latter, and normally, i. e. before the structural unit is actuallyincorporated in a building, such end portion is free to assume anydesired position within 10' the limits indicated. Thus instead of0ccupying the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, it may be bent upinto substantially parallelism with member '3 or it may be bentoutwardly to assume the position shown 110 in dotted outline. As shownin Fig. 1, the lower end of member 4 is secured to the bottom chordalongside one of the. com onent rods 3, but the exact point at which itis thus secured may be varied, as will be readily understood, or it may(in fact will preferably) be made continuous with one of the rods comosing the bottom chord member.

It will e understood that Considerable variation may be made in thearrangement of the terminal portions of the web and. chord members andof the adjustable member 3". Thus, in the construction shown in Figs. 7to 10, inclusive, the web member 5, while formed from a rod just asbefore and in general resembling member 3, has its upwardly bentendportions 5 normally unattached to the upper chord members 6. Thelower chord members 7 are respectively provided at opposite ends withupwardly bent portions 7 a that are welded or otherwise permanentlysecured between the top chord members in the same fashion as theseparate member 4 in the first described construction. It will beunderstood that the angles 5 of the web member 5 are welded or otherwisepermanently attached to the'top and bottom chord mem ers just as before.

Said web member 5 presents a further distinction in that it varies incross-section or, in other words, in strength at different points, beingstron er adjacent the, respective ends of the unit than in theintermediate portion thereof. Thus, where made of a rod bent to form aseries of oppositely directed angles, as illustrated, the rod in thefirst couple angles adjacent each end is of heavier gauge than in theremaining intermediate angles composing the web member. In Fig. 10 thisdifierence is somewhat exaggerated in order to bring out this feature ofconstruction.

It will also be noted that in Figs. 1 and 5 an extra reinforcing rod orbar 8 is shown attached to one side of the web member. By means of thisrod, provision may be made for greater live loads in a concrete dsignwhere this is found necessary or desirable. However, as indicated by theomission of this bar from the showing of the unit in the other figuresof the drawing, its inclusion is optional.

The position of the outer end of member 3 (or equivalent web extension5*) is adjusted to suit the span which the structural unit as awhole isrequired to bridge. As will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 1,such span may vary within limits equal to twice the distance between theupper end of end portion 3 and the outermost position of the upper endof member 4, as shown in dotted outline. In actual practice the unit orsection is designed for a maximum span condition, i. e. with member 4 indotted position.

Lemar? Tn installin the section between I-beam allowed to rest on suchsupports, the ends .of the bottom chord being preferably spaced the samedistance from each such support, i. e. the section as a whole .beingsymmetrically disposed with respect to such supports. Member 3 is thenswung outwardly until it contacts with the support and its extremity, ifof suflicient length, may be bent over and around the top flange of theI-beam so as to anchor the section or unit to the latter. A clamp 11 isthen applied to said member at the point where it intersects the topchord so as to tie the member and the rods composing such chord firmlytogether. This clamp may, if desired, be formed with a projecting lug 11that is adapted to engage the opposite side of the top flange of I-beam10 and thus still more firmly tie the section or unit thereto. 'Thedetail construction of clamp 11 forms no part of the invention and as amatter of fact, it will suflice simply to wire or weld the partstogether at this point.

As soon as the foregoing connections have been completed, the barscomprising the upper chord being rigidly fastened by the clamp to member3 are able to resist compressive strains, while said member 3constituting as it does an extension of the bottom chord is in positionto resist the tension stresses. The section or unit, accordingly, willnow function as a structural unit exact- 1y the same as if said member 3had been permanently connected to the top chord in the shop.

Where the ends of the unit are supported on a brick wall 12 (see Fig.3), the adjustment of member 3" will be had in the same manner as justdescribed, except .that its extremity if of suflicient length will herebe bent to interlock with the brick composing such wall. A modified formof clamp 13, which is adapted to abut against the inner face of wall 12,is here shown instead of clam 11. The arrangement will be substantlallythe same where the ends of the section are to rest on a concrete supportor beam. As shown in Fi 4, the end of the unit may be preliminari ysupported on the box or mold 14 in which the concrete for such supportis poured. After the concrete has set and the box removed, the unit orsection will be left resting on such support or tied in the same in caseit is continued to a higher level.

As previously indicated, the unit or section may be used independentlyas a steel joist. It is also well ada ted for use as a reinforcing trussin rein orced concrete construction. as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.Where it is to be thus employed, a sofiit 16 is supported from thebottom of each truss through the medium of hooks 17 that engage with oneof the rods composing the bottom crete work in t pans or domes 18, aswill be readily understood from an inspection of F ig, 5. In.

this way no .undershoring is necessary and the installation of theaccessory parts required to mold the concrete about the trusses may allbe done from the top of the latter;

It will thus be seen that special economies are efi'e'cted by the use ofthis in1,'oved structural unit 1' section in reinfor ed conat falsesupports such as are ordinarily usgg nay be entirely elimi- ,nated, thereinforcing material being provided in a form that. is adapted tosupport the initial or construction load. The. proper location of suchreinforcing material in the finished concrete structure is at the sametime insured so that the finished structure may carry the calculatedultimateload.

Irrespective of whether the unit be thusemployed in reinforced concretework or as a steel'joist, either exposed of with merely a fireproofingcoating, the flexibility-tot such unit whereby it may be accommodated tospans that vary considerably in length enables the unitto beeconomically manufactured since .it is not necessary to make a.

great variety of different-units to fit each particular span. When theadjustable end member is tied or clamped to the top chord of.the unit,the latter becomes a truss with i a calculable load carrying capacitywhich obviously may be made high enough to afford any desired margin ofsafety. While the several members that enter into the construction ofthe unit have been shown as round rods, th'esemembers may of course beofany desired section, 1. e. may consistgof flats, angles, squares orany other shapes.

Furthermore, the top'and bottom chords may be made-from one pieceinstead of two,

as for instance from-channels. By properly 3 designing the strength ofthe component parts, the unit 'may be adapted to' carry 4 wloads" Inuchlargerthan. inLordinaI y floor ,constructioni'so that,-in other words,.it can :be used for the'heavier or mam members i inbuildings. I a

Other modes of applying the principle. of

my invention maybe employed instead of the one explained, change beingmade as re gardsthe mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means.stated'by any ofthe fol- 7 lowing claims or the equivalent. of 1 suchstated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out .and distinctly claim asmy.intention 1. Ina truss-like structural unit, the combination of topandbottom chord-members.

a sultable web-membexgand :a 'membcrQtwd '2. In a truss-like structuralunit, the combination of top and bottom chord-members, a suitableWeb-member, amember tied at its one end to said bottom chord-member andangularly adjustable with respect thereto whereby the other endof saidmember may be shifted with respect to' said top chord-member, and meansadapted to clamp su'ch shiftable end of said member to said" topchord-member at selected points.

3. Ina truss-like structural unit, the combination of two parallel rodsforming a top chord-member, two other rods spaced from but lyingparallel with said first-named rods, said last-named .rods "forming abottom chord-member, and a suitable web-member connecting said top andbottom chord-members, said bottom chord-member being pro-- vided at eachend with an extension 'angue larly ad ustable with respect thereto,where- Sll by. the free end of such extension may be shifted withrespect to said top chordmember, I 1

4. In a truss-like structural unit, the combination oftwo parallel rodsformin a top chord-member, two other rods space from but lying parallelwith saidfirst-named rods,

said last-named rods. forming a bottom chord-member, a suitableweb-member connecting said top and bottom chord-members,

said bottom chord-member being provided .at each end with an extensionangularly adjustable with respect thereto, wherebythe I freeend of suchextension may be shifted with respect to said top chord-member, and

means adapted to clamp such shiftable end of cach'such extension to saidtop chordmcmber'at selected points; a

.In a truss-like structuralunit, the coinfrom bination of two. parallelrods forminv a top chord-member, twoother rods space but lyingparallelwith said first-named rods,

'sa'id' lastmamed rods forming a bottom chord-member, ,and if'asuitable-g web-member i connecting said top and bottom choid-m'erm bers,saidweb-memberjbeing prolonged. at

both ends to provide angularly' adjustable extensions, substantiallyas-and for the 'pur pose described. 4

6. In a truss-like. str ctural unit, the combination of twoparallelro'ds forminga top chord-member, two other rodsspaccd frombutlying parallel with saidfirst-named rods, said lastsnamed rods forming abottom chord-member, a suitable'web-member 'connecting said top andbottom chord-members, said web-members being prolonged at both .ends toprovide angularly adjustable extensions, substantially as and' for thepurpose described, and nieansadapted to clamp such shiftable end of eachsuch extension to said top chord-member at selected points.

hination of top and bottom chord-members, and a rod bent to form aseries of oppositely In a truss-like structural unit, the comdirectedangle-s, the latter being. secured to said top and bottom chord-membersrespecelv and thereby constituting a web-member thereof. theintermediate portion of said nib-memla-r rod being oflighter gauge thanthe end portions thereof. v

8. la a truss-like structural umt the combination of two parallel rodsforming a top (-lim'dauembeiz'two other rods spaced from but lyingparallel with said first-named rods, said last-named rods forming abottom ehord-member. and still another rod bent to .l'orm a series ofoppositely directed angles, the latter being secured to said top andhottom'ehord-meml)ers, respectively. and thereby constituting aweb-member thereof. the intermediate portion of said web-member rodbeing of lighter gauge than the end portions thereof.

9. In a truss-like strl'ietural unit. the combination of tii'o parallelrods forming a top chord-member. two other rods spaced from but lyingparallel with said tirstmamed rods. said last-named rods forming abottom chord-member, and still another rod bent to form a series ofoppositely directed angles. the latter being secured to said'top andbottom ehord-members, respectively: and thereby constituting aweb-memberthereof, the interl'nediate portion of said eh-member rodbeing of lighter gauge than the end portions thereof, and said bottomchord-member being provided ateach end with an extension angularlyadjustable with respect thereto. whereby the free end of such extensionmay be shifted with respect to said top chordmember.

10. In a trussdike structural unit. .the combination of two parallelrods forming a longed at both ends to provide angularly ad'- justableextensions,- substantially as and'for' the purpose described.

11. In atrussdike structural unit, the eombinationof top and bottomchord-members, a. suitable web-member, members secured at one endadjacent the respective ends of said bottom ehord-member and secured attheir other ends to said top chord-member,

and members tied respectivel; at one end to- I said bottom chord memberand singularly adjustable with respect thereto, whereby the 7 other endsof said members may be shifted with respect to said top chord-member.

12. In a truss-like structural unit, the

combination of top and bottom chord-merm' bers. the ends of the latterof which are ex tended upwardly and secured to the top chord-member. asuitablefweb-member, the

ends of the latter being prolonged upwardly from the bottom chordmember,and angularly adjustable with respect thereto, where by the extreme endsmay be shifted with respect to the top chord-member.

Signed by me, this 10th day of April. 1925.

STANLEY MACOMBER.

